Apple, Mozilla, Google, Microsoft form group to standardize browser plug-ins

[AZgl1800]

I just got a tech email saying the the rest of the world is going to bow down to Google ??

https://www.reddit.com/r/firefox/commen ... 8194016375


it has just been announced, so who is going to give in to whom ?

[Portreve]

Mozilla generally fights for the users.

God, I just had a TRON flashback. Anyone else here?

Anyhow, Apple has a real love/hate relationship with standards, because it's not like they don't support them and it's not like they haven't encouraged a number or helped develop them or get them kicked off for the general public (SCSI, USB, and FireWire are all top of mind) but they also still really don't like to play well with others. Just look at their history of making and maintaining a pretty hard-core walled garden.

Google is the other big egoist in the room. But you know who isn't present here? C'mon, folks, say it with me: Microsoft. Oh, sure, they don't (really) have their own web browser any more, but they're still big time into the browser space, and in any event are a mover-and-shaker in tech, and they weren't invited? Or maybe... I wonder if they were, but turned the offer down.

Yes, I think (in principle) it's great to have one standard to write to when designing browser plug-ins. You know you can write once and publish everywhere. You also know that you don't have to worry about whether a given browser is capable of the same feature set (or the same kind of way of implementing it) you want to leverage in your add-on. But, honestly, I don't think we're going to learn much about this subject looking directly at this story; rather, we need to look elsewhere to find answers (if they exist).

To quote a bit from the original Battlestar Galactica pilot, in 1978:

[Background: The Galactica and her fleet arrive on-orbit at the outpost world of Carrillon. The population of the fleet largely starts shuttling down to the surface for some R&R, and there's a big event there to announce ceasing hostilities with and hiding from the Cylons. After a series of events, Starbuck and Apollo — suspecting something is up and deciding to go exploring on their own — are in an elevator (a lift, for my European LMF friends here) deciding exactly what level of the facility to visit first.]

APOLLO: What did you find?

STARBUCK: Meh... nothing. They must be on another level.

APOLLO: The other levels aren't accessible to humans.

STARBUCK: I've been wondering about that.

APOLLO: Yeah, so have I.

[Then, staring down at the elevator's control panel...]

I know how to fix that. Stand back.

[Apollo draws his weapon and blasts a hole in the control panel. The innards of the control system are revealed, along with wiring which Apollo starts to pick through. Finding what he's looking for, he looks up at Starbuck.]

You're the gambler. Pick a level.

STARBUCK: What say we have a look at what's furthest from the guest rooms.

My point is simply this: we're going to need some space and time from this announcement to truly understand the significance of this alliance. Right here and right now is probably too soon to make any kind of rational judgement. We are certainly in no position to make an educated one.

[DAMIEN1307]

it has just been announced, so who is going to give in to whom ?

Right here and right now is probably too soon to make any kind of rational judgement. We are certainly in no position to make an educated one

Anytime i see that Corporate America starts collaborating together in joyful communion with each other for a common purpose to anything, Its time to "be afraid, be very afraid"...lol...My "educated" guess and "rational judgement" tells me that it is for THEIR common and communal good and certainly not for the "good" of the rest of us...Its US, the people/users who will be forced to do the 'giving in'...not them...lol...DAMIEN

Mozilla generally fights for the users.

Yes, i lump Mozilla into that group as well ever since they inked their deal with Google to use their search engine by default and that Google is now the foremost monetary contributor to Mozilla/Firefox

[DAMIEN1307]

But you know who isn't present here? C'mon, folks, say it with me: Microsoft.

Yeah...Microsoft IS part of this as well...DAMIEN

https://www.engadget.com/w3c-browser-we ... 12365.html

The major browser makers — Apple, Google, Microsoft and Mozilla — are working together "to advance a common browser extension platform."

The groups "charter" is below.

https://github.com/w3c/webextensions/bl ... charter.md

[Portreve]

Oh, I didn't see that earlier.

Well, good for bloody Microsoft, then.

Most of the plugins I use relate to advertising in some way.

Other than that, I really can't find a use for most.